


in walking away my name was undone

by Murf1307



Category: Deadly Genesis, X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Broken Heart, Established Relationship, Leaving Home, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-09
Updated: 2016-02-09
Packaged: 2018-05-19 10:41:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5964357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Murf1307/pseuds/Murf1307
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Gabriel's disgrace, Darwin has to adapt to a world he cannot stand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	in walking away my name was undone

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt “and i knew in my heart that my old life was gone / that in walking away, my name was undone” on tumblr.

In the aftermath of Gabriel’s imprisonment, Armando is left alone.Petra and Suzanne have each other, and Moira has Charles, for better or for worse.

But Armando is alone, and by his own hand.The familiar curve of Gabriel’s cheek against his palm, but his power flowing into Gabriel’s head, burning away Gabriel’s ability to control his powers, essentially ruining him.

Charles had said it was what he _had_ to do, to survive, and he’d believed him.

But had it been true?He’d done it to protect Petra and Suzanne and Moira and Charles, but would it have killed _him_ , Gabriel’s rage?He wasn’t sure _anything_ could kill him.

They’d all face Apocalypse together, brought down him, and Mister Sinister, and any number of villains who remained imprisoned or dead.They were the X-Men, brothers-in-arms and more than that.

He didn’t wear Gabriel’s ring, but he’d been days away from asking.He’d woken up that morning wrapped up with him, tangled closer than anything.

And now it’s over.Gabriel’s gone, trapped on Krakoa, a prison of all their making, a reminder of what he’d done.

And his absence was a constant reminder of what _Armando_ had done.

He’s the leader of the X-Men, now, and he’s utterly, utterly alone.

* * *

He tries.  By god, he tries.  And he’s _good_ at it, at slipping into Gabriel’s role in the team.  He’s watched Gabriel do it for a decade, watched him struggle with his anger and his crusade to make this world a better place for them, for mutants.

Armando’s adaptable.He can adapt to this.

He has to.

* * *

It doesn’t last.  Three months later, in the middle of the night, Armando slips away unnoticed.  Shadowcat and Magik are curled up downstairs, and he passes them, but they’re sleeping.  It’s strange, to know all the names, but feel numb to the people.

Three months, and he thinks he must be dying.If he could, even.

He can’t live _this_ life, anymore, anyway.He can’t keep treading the same track, with everything reminding him of Gabriel.His life is too attached to the memories to go on like this.

He has to leave, has to become someone else until this feeling goes away.Until he _adapts_.

To survive, he has to leave.

He doesn’t expect them to understand, but he offers no explanations.He gets on a bus, leaves behind his old life, and takes back his old name.

_Armando Muñoz._ He’s Armando, now and again, and he’ll carry it carefully.

Maybe someday he’ll come home, but he doesn’t think he has one anymore.


End file.
